Reciprocating feeder



June 7,v 1927:.

A.' w. HAPPL "REclPRocATI'NG FEEDER l s sheets-sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17. 1923 @Yungay June 7,1927. 1,631,125

A. W. HAPPEL REC 1 PRO CAT I'NG- FEEDER Filed Dec. 17. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 -iiatented dune L 1927.

reims narran srmafs emana erica.'

.ALBERT W. EAPEFIL, F TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY .MESNI ASSIGNMENTS, T0 ISE-SGBING MACHINE. COMPANY, OF .WILMINGTON, DELAWABE, AQUOR- 'reaafrren or niarawaan.

nuorrnooa'rme manna.

.appncaupn nea ummm 17,1923. semi no. esmas. j

' This invention relates to reciprocating feeders and has an especial application to use in artificial ice plants for periodically -feeding blocks ofice to machines for scoring the same.

It is kthe object of the invention t0 provide, a means for reciprocating a` feeder by means of a continuously driven endless chain or the like.

y A feature of the invention 1s the provision upon opposite sides of the chain of members 'imparting awreciprocatory motion" to. the

feeder. .v In thedrawings: 15. Figure 1 is a planv view of the improved feed mechanism; v v

Figure 2 is a longitudinal *sectional elevation of the same on line 2-2 of Fi re 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section on ine 3-.3 2010i Figure2;

Figure I 1s a verticalsection taken on lixf" A 'j `coil.` Springs 19 urging the bearing 15 in a 4 4 of Figure 2;

Fi re 5 is a vertical sectional view showf ing t e drive arm carried by the reciproca- 35 tory feeder in'its opposite llmiting position to that shown in F1gure2; l i

Figure 6 is aaplan view of a portion ofthe drive chain, vshowing drive elements carried.

upon opposite 'sides Aof said chain.

I Y Broadly the invention comprises a recipro catory feed member A, an endless flexible actuating member B for said feed member, this actuating member inthe disclosed embodiment of the invention being a chain, an

arm C projecting from the reciprocatory member for enga ement by the chain, and elements D carried by the chain and engageable with said arm to drive the latter.

Considering these primary parts more in` detail, 1 designates a pair of an le bars separated by |a spacer bar 1 and c amped yupon said spacer bar in a parallel relation byY bolts 2. Said angle bars have oppositely projecting flanges Which'slidably seat upon a pair of stationary angle bars 3 secured to the spaced parallel bars 4 of a frame which is not disclosed in its entirety. 5 and 6 desi gnate upstanding projections carried by the reciprocatory member y A at suitable intervals, said members being supported between the angle bars 1. Said projections are adapted to engage ice blocks or other objects to be successively advanced bythe inventmn. The member A is provided with a depending arm 7 of an'fangular form,' said arm having a large central aperture 8 and being formed with smaller openings 9 and 10 extended.

respectively upwardly and downwardly from the aperture 8.

For actuating the feeder Athe endless.

chain B is mounted below said feeder upon a pair of sprocketwheels 11 and A12 spaced,

aparta distance approximately equal to the stroke of the member A 11 is the driving sprocket Wheel and may be actuated by any suitable meansI not shown. 13 are suitable lin' a bearing member 15 which lis ada ted rods 18 upon-which rods are also mountedl direction to tension the chain B. The ysprocket wheel 12 is mounted 'upon a stud shaft 20 between the bearing members 21 journaling said shaft. As the feeder member A approaches. the limiting position of its reciprocation toward the bearing 15, the unit formed by the latter with the stud shaft 20 and sprocket. wheel 12 is adapted to project into the large central aperture 8 of the arm 7,

thus permitting said arm to assume the posi.

tion shown in Figure 2. The upper and lower extensions 9 and 10 of the Vaperture 8 ac- Y commodate the upper and lower spans of the chain B when said arm 7 is in or adjacent 'the position shownfin Figure 2. The members D have the nature of thick plates oppositely mounted upon the chain B, being secured' to the latter by two of the pins 22 of said chain vwhich are engageable by the vdrive elements D to actuate said arm 'and the feeder A toward 'the fixed bearing 13.

fixed bearingsfortheshaft Moi-the Sprocket .4 wheel 11.Y The sprocket wheel`12jis'mounted tof `It is a feature ofthe invention that the drive stress acting in the chain from its en= gageinent with the arm 7 is balanced upon oppositev sides `of the chain ley-securing the drive elements D oppositely upon the chain and by forming the arm 7 with shoulders atA opposite sides ofthe chain 'for' 'engagement by said elements. i an arrangement results largely from the.l

`specific construction of the bearing and of the arm 7 @thereby said arm may assume rlllie feasibility of` such 7the position'A shown in Figure 2 partly, em-

bracing said bearing and adaptin the drive elements D to first clear the shoul ers 23 and subsequently oppositely engage the shoulders 2li. To seurefsuch result it is yneces- 'sary that the shoulders '23 and'24 assume an opposite position 'relative to the vertical axial. plane of the sprocket wheel 12 and the angular form of the arm 7 in conjunction with Ithe provision of a central opening in said arm to accommodate the bearing 15 are f important Afactors in securing this result.y

. ,-'Iiigure 5 shows the relation of the arm 7 to the sprocket wheel 11 when .the feeder A,

is substantially in its left hand limiting position, it'being evident from tliisview tliat i lthe shaft 14"of said sprocket may have any length necessary for engagementwith a suitable driving means without said shaft interfering with the travel ofthe arm 7.

, It is to tie-understood thatwlien-the feeder A is in its left hand limiting-position the projection 5 engages an ice block or other object which is advanced: upon the subse- Aquent stroke of the feeder, a distance equal to said stroke. Upon the return movement Yof the feeder the projection 6 swings down to clear the block thus advanced, a spring 26 acting to again lift said projection when the same has been carried to the left clear of said block. Upon the next stroke of they feeder to the right the projection 5 advances anotherice block (or other object) and the projection 6 effects aystll'/ further advance of the previously shifted block. It is to bej noted that the member A remains stationary for aninstant at each end of its stroke while the elements Il), are being shifted downwardly or upwardly by the chain B 'from the shoulders 23- to the shouldersV 24 or vice versa. This avoids the sudden shock which would be imparted to the reciprocatory mem' ber if'its travelwere immediately reversed as said member reaches its limiting position. `While the described mechanism has an especial application to use in preparing artificial ice for distribution it is .,evident" that suoli a mechanism maybe employed for` any desired purpose.

The springs y19, not only maintain the chain B properly tensioned but also protect the chain from excessive stresses resulting from theifnertia of a block of ice` (or other object) when first encountered by one of meines the upstandiiigprojections 5 and 6. Yieldtached at one end to said feeder and extending. across both of said oppositely traveling portions and having paired shoulders at oppositesides of each of said portions engageable by said drive elements to alternately actuate the feeder forward 'and back.

2. The combination with a reciprocatory feeder, of anK yendless fiex'iblc member hav.'-

ing oppositely travelling portions elongated in substantial parallelism to the direction of reciproeation of said feeder, of a projectionupon the' feeder extending across both .of

said oppositely traveling portions and apertured to embrace both of said portions and alternately engageable by said portionsto actuate the feeder forward and back. p Y

3, The combination with a reciprocatory feeder, of an endless flexible! member having oppositely travelling portions elongated in substantial parallelism to the direction of reciprocation of said feeder and co-extens'ive withv a'portion of said feeder, a feed element ject-ion from said portion of the feeder apertured to embrace both of said oppocarried by said lexiblemember, and a prol wir sitely travelling portions and formedwith ,j

shoulders alternately engageable by said drive element to actuate the feeder forward and back according as said element is moving with one orthe other of said portions.

`4.'The combination with a reciprocatory feeder, of an endless iexibl'e lmember having oppositely travelling portions elongated in substantial parallelism to the direction lof reciprocation of said feeder, of a pair of drive elements carried by said flexible meinber upon opposite sides thereof, and a projection upon said feeder substantially transverse to its stroke yand divided to extend across both of said oppositely traveling portions .at each side thereof providing a pair o f shoulders engageable by said drive elements to 4actuate 4the feeder in one direction and formed with a second pair of shoulders oppositelyI engageable by said drive elements to effectreturn movement of .the feeder. i

5. The combination withai reciprocatory feeder, of an endless iiexible member hav-4 ing oppositely travelling portipns elongated in substantial parallelism to the direction tured to embrace one set of said bearings 6. The icombination with a reciprocatory feeder, of an endless iexible member having oppositely travelling portions elongated in substantial parallelism to the direction of reciprocation of said feeder, a drive element carried by said Hexible member, anda projection1 upon said feeder attached yat one end .to' said feeder and extending across both of said oppositely traveling portions and having its free end portion extending substantially parallel to the direction of reciproca# tion ofl the feeder, said projection having shoulders'respectively-ad1|acent the feeder and upon its free end alternately engage.- able by said drive element to actuate the feeder forward and back.

7. 'lhe'combination with a reciprocatory feederfof an endless drive chain for said feeder, having substantially parallel spans, sprocket wheels mounting said drive chain` s acedin the direction of reciprocat-ion of t e feeder, drive elements upon said chain in opposed relation, and an arm upon said feeder having shoulders respectively engageable by said drive elements to actuate the feeder in opposite directional: and bearings for said sprocket Wheels, said arm 'extending across oth of said spansand being aper# in. alimiting position, adaptm@ said 'arm to travel beyond the.- axis of l said set' of: -beafr- 8a The combination-with a reclprocatory :feeder, and an endless drive chain therefor,

of drive v elements mounted upon said chain at oppositev sides thereof, 'and a drive arm carried by said feeder embracing both 'spa-ns l of said chain and formed with shoulders A ments according as the same are travellimg i said arm sprocket wheel'in a limiting position.'

alternately engageable by said drive ele- Onne or the other of said spans, Sprocket wheels mounting said chain, and sli ports for said sprocket fwheels,'one of sai i sup-4 ports beingwyieldable toward thevother, and

ing apertured to embrace said 9. The combination with a, reciprocatory' feeder, of an endless chain for driving said feeder, sprocketl wheels mounting said chain I -s aced a art in `the direction of reciprocas tlon of t e feeder, drive elements carrledby said lchain upon lopposite sides thereof, a feediarm carried by the feeder extending acrossboth` spans of said chain and aperturedto'form -tvvo` pairs of shoulders vrespectively at opposite sides of said spans, said shoulders belng spaced apart in the directionof reciprocation of the feeder, and p bearings for said sprocket wheels, one of which rojects in the' direction of travel of p the fee er and is engageable in the aperture of said arm in a substantially limiting position of the arm, adapting the latter to beactuated beyond the axis of the corresponding sprocket Wheel.

.10. The combination with a reciprocatory feeder, .of an endless flexible member having oppositely travelling portions elongated in substantial parallelism to the direction of reciprocation'of-said` feeder, drive elements carried by said flexible member upon opp0 site sides thereof, a pair of spaced rotative members mounting said flexible member, a drive shaft connected-,to one of said rotativo members, and a projection upons'aid feeder extending substantially across both ofsaid oppositely travelling portions, and having two pairs of shoulders, said pairs being alternately engagea-ble by 'said drive elements aocordingjas the latter travel'with one or the other of said oppositel traveiling portions, oneof said .pairs ofy so spacedn 1in /thedlrbtion 4of travel of .the feeder from the midi-` ortion of' said projection as to lclear ysaid rive elements through travel of said elements aboutytherotative member on said ,shaftwithout an encounter /of the mid-portion of `said projection with said shaft.v c y. l

l1. The combination wi'th'fa reciprocatory feeder, of .an endless chain for actuating said feeder, sprocket wheels for mounting shoulders being 1 s'aid chain, `one ofwhich .is'movable'to and from the other, a pair of fixed rods disposed lupon "opposite sides 'of the feeder, and a bearing'imember associated with the feeder havin intermediate lportioni constituting :tica-ring for said movable sprocket and 'having' llaterally spa-ed4 'bearing portions slidablyengaging said 'rods. '4

.12. vThe combination with a reciprocatory feeder, of an endless chain for actuatingy said `feeder sprocket'whe'els yfor mountin saidcha'im one of which is movable to an from the other,.a pair of iixe-d rods disposed upon opposite sides and extending longitudinally of the feeder, a bearing member i for said.- movable sprocket'member having vdiametric'all'y opposed projections terminatlng in bearm J portions slidably mounted on I said rods, an yieldable members engageable with said bearm. portions normally urging the bearing mem the chain. I

1n` testimony r in a direction to tension whereof I ax ature.

m si ALBERT W. vuhr 

